Finals

A big diappointment for Korea’s Gye Min-Young after leading the 46th World Cup almost the full distance and then losing the title in the stepladder.

Aumi Guerra of the Dominican Republic defeated Fiona Banks of England 2-0 in the best of three game opening match, the first game 237-223 then taking her advantage further by winding up the second, 246-188.

The title match went the Korean’s way, 226-203, but Guerra came back to take the second, 202-196, after Gye lost impetus with a 4-7-10 split in the tenth frame.

Spurred on by that victory, Guerra opened with a double then strung a six-bagger to win her first majot international title, 240-196.

“To be the first-ever World Cup champion for Dominican Republic is indeed my biggest satisfation,” said the 33-year-old Guerra, who has competed in the PBA Tour for just one year without much success.

“I’m very much like my father – very patriotic, so winning this title is what I had hoped for since I started bowling. I knew that if I kept my composure I could pulled it off and I really got a good break during the last frame of the second game.”

“Aumi couldn’t get the carry when the lanes were beginning to change, so we decided that a change of ball was necessary,” said Criag Woodhouse, coach of the Dominican Republic national team.

“You know, Guerra means war and that was exactly what Aumi displayed – a true spirit of a fighter. I’m glad for her and I’m happy for the Dominican Republic as a whole. A lot of people in ther federation has worked hard and this is probably one of the rewards well earned.”

Photo and quotes courtesy Terence Yaw.

Now the men’s final takes place on the Bowling de Provence lanes, again best of three game matches.

The opener featured 2005 World Cup champion Michael Schmidt against 2006 Men’s World Championships Masters gold medalist Biboy Rivera of the Philippines.

Schmidt was a formidable opponent, taking the first game, 247-215, and earned his place in the final by taking the second, 252-202, totalling 499 over the pair of games.

Up stepped Matt Miller of England, determined to give his home country their first World Cup win since 1973, when Bernie Caterer stepped on top of the podium after defeating Canada’s Glen Watson.

Miller stamped his authority on the final by taking the first game, 246-205. He went on to lead up to the sixth frame of game two, but then Schmidt put his foot on the throttle to even the games, 212-207.

Nip and tuck through the third and final game but once again Schmidt took over the lead from the sixth frame and joins the illustrious few who have won twice, beating Miller 224-188.

Miller had his disappointments: “I’m disappointed that I didn’t bowl well during the finals,” said the 21-year-old Matt Miller who owns the London Pro Shop at Airport Bowl.

Champions Guerra and Schmidt

“I should have shut my opponent out when I had the chance and I just didn’t take it and that is extremely frustating. Well, at least I’m still young and I ‘ll be back. It has been a week of good bowling and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”

“Sometimes you get bad breaks but you learn never to give up and that’s what I felt,” said the 30-year-old Schmidt, who joined the elite group of winners who have won the World Cup twice.

“I’m actually lost for words and the thing hasn’t sunk in yet. But I’m very happy to have become the first Canadian to win this event two times. Of course, Sandy Lowe and my dad, Alrick gave me all their

England's Banks and Miller

encouragements.”

The Bent Petersen Nations Trophy was won by England’s Matt Miller and Fiona Banks as Banks finished third and Miller was the runner-up. It is belived that this is the frist time that trophy has been won by England.

Now the 46th world Cup has come to a close and somehow the officials, competitors, coaches and supporters have to get back home through a flood of strikes across France. There will be many tales to be told of the difficult journeys.

Bob Johnson has received more national writing awards than any other bowling writer — close to 70 over the course of his 40-year career. He began at age 16 as a staff writer and then assistant editor for the weekly Pacific Bowler newspaper in his native California, and within three years was writing feature stories for Bowlers Journal. He has written for the magazine ever since, except for a five-year span when he was hired as the founding editor of another magazine. He moved to Chicago in 2000 and spent 13 years in the Windy City, including five as Bowlers Journal’s Editor. In 1975, Johnson received the Robert E. Kennedy Award as California’s top undergraduate high school journalist. Five years earlier, on the lanes, he had shared the Bantam Division Doubles championship in the Orange County Junior Bowling Association Championships. Today, he continues to work full-time for Bowlers Journal as its Senior Editor, to write his popular “Strikes Me” column, and to edit Luby Publishing Inc.’s weekly business-to-business Cyber Report.